Abstract
ContextThe study of gonadal hormone effects on adolescent wellbeing has been limited by logistical challenges. Urine hormone profiling offers new opportunities to understand the health and behavioral implications of puberty hormones.ObjectiveTo characterize pubertal change in urinary testosterone and estradiol among male and female adolescents, respectively.DesignThree-year prospective cohort study.SettingAustralian regional community.Participants282 (163 male) normally developing adolescents aged 11.8 ± 1.0 years at baseline.Main outcome measureQuarterly urine measurements of testosterone and estradiol (mass spectrometry); annual anthropometric assessment and Tanner stage (TS) self-report.ResultsTwo-class sigmoidal and quadratic growth mixture models (centered on age at TS3) were identified as best-fit for describing testosterone (male) and estradiol (female) change. Classes 1 (male: 63%; female: 82%) and 2 (male: 37%; female: 18%) were respectively named the “stable” and “unstable” trajectories, characterized by different standard deviation of quarterly hormone change and magnitude of hormone peaks and troughs (all P < 0.001). Compared with class 1 (stable), class 2 males were taller at baseline (154 vs 151 cm), reported earlier and faster TS progression (P < 0.01), and showed higher serum testosterone levels at baseline and 3 years (P ≤ 0.01). Class 2 females exhibited smaller height and weight gains over the 3 years and had higher baseline serum estradiol (249 vs 98 pmol/L; P = 0.002) than class 1.ConclusionsAdolescents showed 2 distinct urinary gonadal hormone trajectories, characterized by stability of change over time, which were not associated with consistent anthropometric differences. Results provide a methodology for studying gonadal hormone impacts on other aspects of biopsychosocial wellbeing. Identification of potential “at-risk” hormone groups would be important for planning supportive interventions.
Highlights
Puberty, the transitional period between childhood and adulthood, is a remarkable physical event orchestrated by dramatic changes in gonadal and pituitary hormones
Of the total 342 participants recruited to the Adolescent Rural Cohort study of Hormones (ARCHER) study, 282 (163 males, 119 females) were included in the Growth mixture models (GMM) analyses (Fig. 1)
These participants provided an average of 9.7 urine hormone measures over the 3 years
Summary
The transitional period between childhood and adulthood, is a remarkable physical event orchestrated by dramatic changes in gonadal and pituitary hormones. Other characteristic changes during this period include mood alterations, disengagement from education, and oppositional and other health risk behaviors, some of which are intermittent/transitory and some more permanent [1–3]. To date, the effect that gonadal hormones have on these other aspects of adolescent wellbeing and behavior remains unclear. Situations where gonadal hormones change rapidly, such as the menstrual cycle [4], pregnancy, and the postpartum period [5, 6], as well as in androgen abuse, are all linked to significant mood and behavior disturbances [7]. It is perhaps unsurprising that clinicians, parents, and the community commonly attribute adolescent mood and behavior change to puberty hormones, along with other influencing factors, such as neurocognitive development [8] and relationships with peers and family [9]
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